Fallen soldier's dog rescued from fire

Oct. 16, 2013 - 12:30PM
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NEWPORT, N.H. — A dog named Hero who made news in 2007 when she was united with the New Hampshire family of a fallen soldier has been rescued from a house fire.

Firefighters responded to the Newport home of Skip and Rhonda Rollins at about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. They rescued Hero, another dog and two cats. No one else was inside.

Firefighters said Hero was not breathing when she was carried from the house. Firefighters administered medical attention to the dog that included oxygen from their own equipment; she started breathing once again.

Hero was taken to Claremont Animal Hospital improved, becoming awake and acting normal. Staff said she should make a full recovery.

Firefighters believe the fire started in the basement, in a wall behind a wood stove.

In 2007, 22-year-old Army Spc. Justin Rollins and other soldiers from the 82nd Airborne division in Samarra, Iraq, found a litter of puppies. Rollins was photographed with one of them the night before he was killed.

His family pushed to adopt the dog. With help from the 82nd Airborne, and then-Rep. Paul Hodes, the puppies were tracked down and Hero was brought to New Hampshire.